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What does your typical day look like as a head chef?
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Katrina’s Answer
Hi Ralph,
While the order of the the things I will write about may be different for every chef, I would say this would be close. Things will also depend on how you schedule your staff too, if you will be the first to arrive or the last to leave for example. Most chefs will have a Sous, manager, or cook that will help to cover opening or closing of the kitchen, but some chefs want to be there in person.
When you arrive at work you will check in with your staff to see if there are any problems with getting the needed ingredients for the day, to check attendance, problems with appliances or coolers, and look at your menus and specials for the day. If you had deliveries come in you will check on that to make sure things are correct and address any problems.
As the day goes on you will work with your cooks to make sure that they are doing things correctly and help with rushes. Depending on your staffing you may have to explain any specials or menu items to serving staff. It is a good idea to have good communication with the front of the house. It will make for a more successful business and a better customer experience. The serving staff may ask for help with customer food allergies and all other kinds of questions. The kitchen staff must be willing to help the front of the house with customer service. As the head chef you will create the atmosphere in the kitchen, being helpful and treating everyone with respect will set a good example for your cooks.
Part of a head chef's job is also placing orders and taking food, paper product, and cleaning supply inventory. Some restaurants will take weekly inventory and some will take monthly. Tracking and logging your orders and inventory is key to watching your food and product costs compared to how much food you are selling, and how much money the restaurant is taking in.
One last thing to mention, as the head chef you will be in charge of making sure that all food safety protocols are in place, from the dish room where everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized, how your cooks work to control cross-contamination, time and temperature management to prevent foodborne illness, personal hygiene, cleanliness of your coolers and stockrooms, and anything that would be inspected by your local governing agency.
I hope this helps.
While the order of the the things I will write about may be different for every chef, I would say this would be close. Things will also depend on how you schedule your staff too, if you will be the first to arrive or the last to leave for example. Most chefs will have a Sous, manager, or cook that will help to cover opening or closing of the kitchen, but some chefs want to be there in person.
When you arrive at work you will check in with your staff to see if there are any problems with getting the needed ingredients for the day, to check attendance, problems with appliances or coolers, and look at your menus and specials for the day. If you had deliveries come in you will check on that to make sure things are correct and address any problems.
As the day goes on you will work with your cooks to make sure that they are doing things correctly and help with rushes. Depending on your staffing you may have to explain any specials or menu items to serving staff. It is a good idea to have good communication with the front of the house. It will make for a more successful business and a better customer experience. The serving staff may ask for help with customer food allergies and all other kinds of questions. The kitchen staff must be willing to help the front of the house with customer service. As the head chef you will create the atmosphere in the kitchen, being helpful and treating everyone with respect will set a good example for your cooks.
Part of a head chef's job is also placing orders and taking food, paper product, and cleaning supply inventory. Some restaurants will take weekly inventory and some will take monthly. Tracking and logging your orders and inventory is key to watching your food and product costs compared to how much food you are selling, and how much money the restaurant is taking in.
One last thing to mention, as the head chef you will be in charge of making sure that all food safety protocols are in place, from the dish room where everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized, how your cooks work to control cross-contamination, time and temperature management to prevent foodborne illness, personal hygiene, cleanliness of your coolers and stockrooms, and anything that would be inspected by your local governing agency.
I hope this helps.
Hey thank you so much! It was a really good read, thank you for the encouragement.
Ralph
Updated
Benjamin’s Answer
Full of multi tasking. Communication. Safety. And passion. If you want to hear more feel free to reach out. It is a difficult living situation and the pay now a days isn’t as good due to Covid.
Thank you so much!
Ralph